XML 66 R54.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.7.0.1

Segment Reporting (Changes in Goodwill by Reportable Segment) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2017 | Mar. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2016
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |
Goodwill, Beginning Balance | $ 4,390,261 | $ 1,422,825 | $ 1,422,825
Goodwill acquired | 261,913 | 1,766 |
Impairment loss | (77,343) |  |
Goodwill adjustment for assets sold | 321 |  |
Impairment loss related to assets held for sale | (29,000) |  |
Goodwill reclassified as assets held for sale | (29,295) |  |
Impact of changes in foreign currency | 12,788 |  |
Goodwill, Ending Balance | 4,529,645 | 1,424,591 | 4,390,261
Southern [Member] |  |  |
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |
Goodwill, Beginning Balance | 1,470,023 | 95,710 | 95,710
Goodwill acquired | 11,736 | 190 |
Impairment loss related to assets held for sale | (29,000) |  |
Goodwill reclassified as assets held for sale | (29,295) |  |
Goodwill, Ending Balance | 1,423,464 | 95,900 | 1,470,023
Western [Member] |  |  |
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |
Goodwill, Beginning Balance | 376,537 | 373,820 | 373,820
Goodwill acquired |  | 1,421 |
Goodwill, Ending Balance | 376,537 | 375,241 | 376,537
Eastern [Member] |  |  |
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |
Goodwill, Beginning Balance | 533,160 | 459,532 | 459,532
Goodwill acquired | 246,491 | 7 |
Goodwill adjustment for assets sold | 321 |  |
Goodwill, Ending Balance | 779,972 | 459,539 | 533,160
Canada [Member] |  |  |
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |
Goodwill, Beginning Balance | 1,465,274 |  |
Goodwill acquired | 3,316 |  |
Impact of changes in foreign currency | 12,788 |  |
Goodwill, Ending Balance | 1,481,378 |  | 1,465,274
Central [Member] |  |  |
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |
Goodwill, Beginning Balance | 467,924 | 416,420 | 416,420
Goodwill acquired | 370 | 148 |
Goodwill, Ending Balance | 468,294 | 416,568 | 467,924
Exploration and Production [Member] |  |  |
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |
Goodwill, Beginning Balance | 77,343 | 77,343 | 77,343
Impairment loss | (77,343) |  | 0
Goodwill, Ending Balance | $ 77,343 | $ 77,343 | $ 77,343

X
- Definition Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64834752&loc=SL49117168-202975 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_Goodwill
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of increase in asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized resulting from a business combination. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of loss from the write-down of an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13854-109267 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13777-109266 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GoodwillLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of increase (decrease), classified as other, of an asset representing the future economic benefits from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (g) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GoodwillOtherIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of increase (decrease) from foreign currency translation adjustments and purchase accounting adjustments of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (g) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 16 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73531572&loc=d3e961-128460 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (f) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of divestiture of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Goodwill Net Adjustment Related To Sale Of Business Unit + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wcn_GoodwillNetAdjustmentRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
Namespace Prefix: | wcn_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=wcn_SouthernMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=wcn_WesternMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=wcn_EasternMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=wcn_CanadaMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=wcn_CentralMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=wcn_ExplorationAndProductionMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |